Articulating faceplate for a door latch



July 28, 1964 o. c. MAURITS ETAL I ARTICULATING FACEPLATE FOR A DOOR LATCH Filed April 30, 1962 ORVILLE c. mum" EDWIN J. K'RooK mmvroks BY '8 6AM 3,142,506 ARTICULATING FACEPLATE FOR A DOOR LATCH Orville C. Maurits, 2935 Three Mile Road NE., and Edwin J. Krook, 1008 S. Ottillia SE, both of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 191,063 Claims. (Cl. 292-337) This invention relates to the construction of door latches, and primarily to the connection between the latch housing and the faceplate. This construction provides for a limited degree of articulation of the faceplate with respect to the latch housing on a normally vertical axis to accommodate the installation of the latch mechanism in a door having a beveled edge. Doors of substantial thickness are frequently formed with their edges on a bevel with respect to the sides (rather than in a perpendicular relationship) in order to provide opening and closing clearance without excessive gap between the door and the jamb in the closed position. It is desirable that latches be marketed in condition for installation in doors of either beveled or perpendicular edges, and the feature of a limited articulation between the faceplate and the latch housing for this purpose is well-known in the art. The freedom of articulation between the faceplate and housing is conventionally established by a back member normally secured to the faceplate, and which has a peripheral flange establishing a spaced relationship of the central portion of the back member from the faceplate. The space thus defined receives a flange on the housing with sufficient looseness to establish the desired degree of adjustability. It is obvious that a close relationship exists between the depth of the space in which the flange is received and the degree of angular freedom of articulation. The present invention provides a very inexpensive structure with a maximum degree of freedom of articulation for a given depth of space between the faceplate and back member.

Applicant has found that the assembled relationship of without a complete annular flange being present on the housing. Bycutting off a portion of this flange, and thereby permitting a portion of the housing to retract into the opening in the back member, the freedom of articulation for a given depth of the faceplate assembly is maintained without risk of disengagement of the housing from the back member. It is desirable to minimize the depth of the faceplate assembly (which includes the faceplate and the back member), since this dimension represents material that must be cut away from the edge of the door in order to install the latch mechanism so that the surface of the faceplate is in coplanar relationship with the edge of the door.

The several features of the invention will be analyzed in further detail through a discussion of the particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top view, partially in section, of a latch mechanism embodying this invention, and illustrating one direction of articulation of the faceplate with respect to the housing.

FIGURE 2 is a section on the plane similar to that of FIGURE 1, but illustrating the relationship of the faceplate assembly and the housing as installed in the edge of a door which is perpendicular to the sides.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the housing alone, apart from the remainder of the assembly, and illustrating the configuration of the retaining flange.

FIGURE 4 is a section on a vertical plane through the outer portion of the latch mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, a latch mechanism generally indicated at includes a tubular housing 11 retractably United States Patent 0 3,142,506 Patented July 28, 1964 receiving the bolt 12. The stem assembly 13 associated with the bolt is normally .coupled to a retracting mechanism (not shown), and the spring 14 biases the bolt to the illustrated projected position.

The housing 11 is provided with a flange 15 at its outer extremity, and the configuraiton of this flange is very significant. As best shown in FIGURE 3, the flange preferably extends over a sector of approximately degrees, with the edges thereof terminating on a common straight line 16 which is an extension of a diameter with respect to the cylindrical housing 11. (The axis of the housing is normally parallel to the direction of retraction of the bolt 12.) A central portion 17 of reduced width of the flange produces a straight edge substantially parallel to the line 16. The terminal ends 18 and 19 of the flange 15 act as fulcra about which the articulation of the faceplate assembly can take place with respect to the housing 11.

The faceplate 20 is normally installed with its outer surface 21 in coplanar relationship with the edge of a door (not shown), and is also normally fixed with respect to the back member 22 at the riveted tubular portions 20a and 20b which later receive wood screws holding the assembly to the door. The peripheral flange 23 of the back member establishes a central portion 24 disposed in spaced relationship with respect to the faceplate 20, and the flange 15 is received within the space thus defined. The edge 17 of the housing cooperates with a portion of the flange 23 to establish the angular position of the faceplate assembly with respect to the housing about the housing axis. The housing 11 is loosely received in the opening in this central portion of the faceplate so that a limited freedom of movement'exists between these components.

An examination of FIGURE 1 illustrates the manner in which the interruption of the flange 15 is utilized. It will'be obvious that the angular movement of the faceplate assembly can continue until the portion 25 of the housing is actually withdrawn into the central opening of the back member 22. In this manner, maximum articulation is achieved, without increasing the depth of the faceplate assembly, or interferring with the articullation of the assembly in the opposite direction. The inclined face 26 of the bolt may be installed in either the illustrated position with respect to the maximum articulation, or in the reverse. In articulation in the opposite angular direction from that shown in FIGURE 1, the outer edge of the housing, including the flange, assumes a diagonal position within the space defined between the central portion 24 of the back member and the rear of the faceplate 20.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is our intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as we are limited by the prior art.

We claim:

1. A latch, comprising:

a tubular housing;

a bolt fretractablymounted [in said housing;

a flange adjacent the outer extremity of said housing and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said housing, said flange extending ex clusively within a sector of substantially one hundred eighty degrees, and having the opposite extremities thereof disposed along a common normally vertical straight line, said flange having a central portion of decreased width providing a straight edge parallel to said common line;

a faceplate for installation in the edge of a door, and

having an opening receiving said bolt;

a back member normally fixed with respect to said faceplate, and having a central opening loosely receiving said housing, said back member having a peripheral flange establishing a central portion in spaced relationship with said faceplate, said flange being loosely received therebetween with said housing flange edge extending in close proximity to said back member flange to maintain the relative angllar position of said back member and said housing about the axis of said housing.

2. A latch, comprising:

a housing;

a bolt retractably mounted in said housing;

a flange adjacent the outer extremity of said housing and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of retracting movement of said bolt, said flange extending exclusively within a sector of substantially one hundred eighty degrees, and having the opposite extremities thereof disposed along a common normally vertical straight line, said flange having a central portion of decreased width providing an edge parallel to said common line;

a faceplate for installation in the edge of a door, and

having an opening receiving said bolt;

:1 back member normally fixed with respect to said faceplate, and having a central opening loosely receiving said housing, said back member having a peripheral flange establishing a central portion in spaced relationship with said faceplate, said flange being loosely received therebetween with said housing flange edge extending in close proximity to said back member flange to maintain the relative angular position of said back member and said housing about the axis of said housing.

3. A latch, comprising:

a housing;

a bolt retractably mounted in said housing;

a flange adjacent the outer extremity of said housing and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of retracting movement of said bolt, said flange extending exclusively within a sector of substantially one hundred eighty degrees, and having the opposite extremities thereof disposed along a common straight line;

a faceplate for installation in the edge of a door, and

having an opening receiving said bolt;

a back member normally fixed with respect to said faceplate, and having a central opening loosely receiving said housing, said back member having a pcripheral flange establishing a central portion in spaced relationship with said faceplate, said flange being loosely received therebetween.

A latch, comprising:

housing; bolt retractably mounted in said housing; flange adjacent the outer extremity of said housing and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of retracting movement of said bolt, said flange extending exclusively on one side of said housing within a sector of substantially one hundred eighty degrees;

a faceplate for installation in the edge of a door, and

having an opening receiving said bolt;

a back member normally fixed with respect to said faceplate, and having a central opening loosely receiving said housing, said back member having a peripheral flange establishing a central portion in spaced relationship with said faceplate, said flange being loosely received therebetween.

5. A latch, comprising:

a housing;

bolt retractably mounted in said housing;

flange adjacent the outer extremity of said housing and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of retracting movement of said bolt, said flange extending exclusively on one side of said housing within a sector not to exceed one hundred eighty degrees;

a faceplate for installation in the edge of a door, and

having an opening receiving said bolt;

a back member normally fixed with respect to said faceplate, and having a central opening loosely receiving said housing, said back member having a peripheral flange establishing a central portion in spaced relationship with said faceplate, said flange being loosely received therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

5. A LATCH, COMPRISING: A HOUSING; A BOLT RETRACTABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING; A FLANGE ADJACENT THE OUTER EXTREMITY OF SAID HOUSING AND DISPOSED IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION OF RETRACTING MOVEMENT OF SAID BOLT, SAID FLANGE EXTENDING EXCLUSIVELY ON ONE SIDE OF SAID HOUSING WITHIN A SECTOR NOT TO EXCEED ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DEGREES; A FACEPLATE FOR INSTALLATION IN THE EDGE OF A DOOR, AND HAVING AN OPENING RECEIVING SAID BOLT; A BACK MEMBER NORMALLY FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FACEPLATE, AND HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING LOOSELY RECEIVING SAID HOUSING, SAID BACK MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL PORTION IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FACEPLATE, SAID FLANGE BEING LOOSELY RECEIVED THEREBETWEEN. 